Friday, October 03, 2014

STORY

“Once Upon a Time” or so many of the best stories begin.  Stories are a vehicle for material too heavy for us to carry.  Want to share an experience to “beyond” for formulas or graphs, use story.  In the magnificent moments of life … birth, weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc. … we share stories.  How else do we tell the miracles of God in our life other than story?

In September 2014, I shared a sermon series titled “STORY”.  You can find videos of those sermons at http://fccedwardsville.org/#/get-connected.  I shared about Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Paul.  The stories of their lives are inspiring for our faith today.   During those sermons, I encouraged you to ponder what words would flow from your pen as you author your story each day.  Writing our story with God creates a real page turner.

What character are you in the story you and God pen?  Is there a biblical figure that you find most familiar and thus might emulate?  Are you the protagonist, supporting character, leading lady?  Are you the soft spoken scientist who solves the puzzle or the loud mouth action hero who conquers or the hard working midwife who reconciles the family or the ranch hand who saves the family farm?  What role is yours in the story?

What of the souls that roam in your story?  Who are these characters and what place do they inhabit in your story?  These questions quickly spin to ask us what hospitality do we show them?  What shelter does my story afford those who dwell in my story?  In this way, we have an opportunity to discover the purpose of our life, the reasoning for our giftedness, the meaning of our strength.  Why did God write a story that includes you?

God so loved the world that God sent God’s only Son.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love the Lord your God.  Such are the desires of our God.  

Certainly God sent God’s Son to redeem us.  Truly God sent God’s Spirit to sustain us.  Therefore, God sent us to . . .  Why did God send you into this world?   You have life because God desires to write a wonderful story with you.  Will you chose to fill the pages with aimless doodles or soulful sketches?  Write a story whose main characters are God and your neighbor.  Then shall you see the miracle that is you.